W/e 23/05/25 - Billy Nomates, Ezra Furman, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, The Sherlocks, Beck

A high scoring week, our 3rd best this year. All 4 acts comfortably in the top half of 2025.

Billie Nomates had a late run, but couldn’t quite pip The Sherlocks for top spot, who also have the TOTW and squeeze into our top 10 this year.

This is our 3rd listen for both Billie and the Porn Crumpets, and each had their best outing this time – Billie by over 200 places, PPC by a handful of places over their 2022 offering.

Guy romps home for the 😀, his equal 2nd highest set of scores, and best since Sept 2023 - the cracking week that inc. Chemical Bros and Danger Mouse. Justin nabs the ☹️ from Andy by the smallest of margins

Beck was a forgotten gem for a few, but overall a mixed reaction and sit mid table on the classics along side The Smiths and Electric Six.

Guy

Billy Nomates - Easily one of the best of her genre. Cracking vocals, great catchy tunes and interesting lyrics. Top album - 8.2

Ezra Furman - Strong, distinctive vocals and an ear for a tune. Not heard a lot by this her but she’s good, no question - 7.8

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets - eclectic or what. Punk, 60s psychedelia, easy listening - all were good in their own right. But it did feel like a compilation album as you veered from one music genre to another. - 7.2

The Sherlocks - You wait ages for a good album to come along and then two come at the same time! Yes, this sounds like the Courteeners (with a hint of Oasis sprinkled in) but it’s packed full of great tunes. As mentioned, the axe work is top notch and the final closer is a superb tune. - 8.1

Beck - Too experimental for me. Lots of unnecessary noodling and self-indulgence. When they simply played a tune it was good. - 6.5

TOTW - Here Comes The Rain - The Sherlocks

Andy

Ezra Furman - I quite enjoyed this, don’t know how much transitioning she’s done and it’s none of my concern but she’s kept that Brian Molko style vocal this far which is nice 7

Billy Nomates - All the fun of the fair. Really good stuff this, although she’s proper confused my Our Price filing system 7.5

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets - Decent bit of Aussie rock. Starts off sounding more like Jet than the psych experience I was expecting but soon heads down the wafty avenue of the likes of Tame Impala that they’ve been compared to 7

The Sherlocks - I tried this in the sunshine but it’s still bang average indie. Temu Oasis if I’m being kind, Temu Enemy if I’m not. Better than The Lathums at least 5

TotW - Nothin Worth Winnin by Billy Nomates

Beck - Bloody marvellous stuff. With production from the Dust Brothers it’s hard not to compare this to the Beastie Boys, especially Paul’s Bourique. However with Beck playing pretty much everything it’s very much his album and a feather in his cap as a great composer and player of bangers, almost at Prince’s level 9

Sam

Ezra Furman : this really grew on me , great guitars . 7.4

Billy Nomates : Better than last time ( I gave the last one a 4 ) it has more zip about it . 6

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets: Great fun ! I enjoyed the last one and this is even better ! Very engaging. 7.8

The Sherlocks : I’m a fan , I have 2 previous albums . Upbeat , bouncy jingle jangle with a rockier edge . A winning combination. 8.5

Beck : mid nineties low-fi slacker rock with a bit of hip hop sampling. Nice one . Enjoyed this. 8

TOTW : a few choices but I’ll go for : Here Comes the Rain by The Sherlocks

Erol

Billy Nomates - pleasant and enjoyable soft pop/indie rock. Her voice has a touch of Stevie Nicks which is an added bonus. 7

Ezra Furman - I enjoyed the blues rock tracks, the slower tunes less so. It’s an engaging listen but I was distracted by her weird vocal style. I can’t make my mind up whether it’s deliberately quirky or whether she just can’t hold a tune. 6.5

PCC - the opening few tracks are frenetic, perfect for a bit of mosh pit madness, I imagine. Once things settle down though, the album develops into a really quite nice slice of mellow stoner psych-rock. Out the Universe Pours is the pick of the bunch. 7

The Sherlocks - uplifting indie rock of the highest quality with great guitars and anthemic lyrics. Perfect for a brisk walk on a summer’s evening. No sign of indie landfill here. Great stuff. 8.3

TOTW - Man on the Loose, the Sherlocks

Beck - quirky laid back folksy rock with lots of hip hop samples. My issue is that it tries too hard to be inventive and throws too much in. It’s also too long. Not quite to my taste but it’s ok for what it’s worth. New Pollution is a decent track. 6

Simon

Ezra Furman: in two minds about this - it's an intriguing album and has some strong tracks (e.g. Power of the Moon) but really couldn't get on with her voice. 6

Billy Nomates: really enjoyed her last album and this is largely more of the same - well-written, accomplished pop, although nothing to really get the juices flowing. 7.3

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets: another bonkers, over the top release from the Aussie rockers - if anything this is more unhinged than the last one. Entertaining listen, though. 7.4

Sherlocks: they're not going to win any prizes for originality but they make up for this with album full of infectious tunes and plenty of spirit and swagger - good, summery fun. 7.5

Beck: wasn't that familiar with Beck at the time but this really flicked my switch when it came out - it's an eclectic, sprawling album with a host of killer tracks, ramshackle and a tad self-indulgent at times but that's all part of the charm. Tremendous. 9

TotW: Sherlocks - Everything Must Make Sense

Justin

Ezra Furman - a few highlights on here like Power of the Moon. Bit of a Waterboys vibe. 6.5

Billy Nomates - gave this a few extra listens given some of the high scores but it's just a but boring and I don't like her voice that much. 5.5

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets - silly name that must be killing off the chance of any serious commercial success which is a shame as a pretty quality album of pysch rock. 6.9

Sherlocks - if indie landfill is a genre then this is quality recycling. Great anthems and jogs along at a nice pace. 7.2

Totw - Sherlocks - Bones

Beck - don't know why I don't listen to this or his other albums more. All great original tunes. Got plenty of spins this week. 8

Jim

Ezra Furman 7.5

Bit of a mish mash (somewhat the theme of the week) but it held together, and it grew on me especially when she went all Placebo on Submission, which nearly got my totw

Billy Nomates 7.5

She’s got an unusual, captivating sound and is one of my finds of this adventure. This is another quality offering, perhaps not quite as many stand-out tracks as the first 2 albums. Moon Explodes was the best of bunch

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets 6.5

Quite a ride but ultimately too chaotic despite some decent sounds

The Sherlocks 7

They definitely glide above the landfill site, just a shame none of the first 9 songs had the kahunas of the cracking finale which included some Public Service Broadcasting lift

TOTW: Sherlocks: Here Comes The Rain

Beck 7.5

Never been sure about Mr Beck, and this didn’t convince me. Enjoyed the trip hop/big beat sounds, but a fair few tracks drifted past leaving no mark

Phil

Ezra Furman 6

Musically pretty good but I don’t get on with her voice. It works on some tracks, like Strange girl and the album closer I need the angel but too often she pitches (deliberately?) above her comfort level and it grates.

Billy Nomates 7

Varied and fascinating. Billy tries her hand at a whole range of musical styles and she’s pretty good at most of them.

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets 7

Definite more Pond than Tame Impala but it’s a bit all over the place. More the freakout end of psych than the tangerine trees end, but pretty enjoyable for all that.

The Sherlocks 7

This is prime Hannah indie. On first play I wasn’t that impressed but when I played it again I enjoyed it more. I’m generally not keen on yearning vocals backed by orchestral synth washes but this lot make it work.

TOTW : Psychedelic Porn Crumpets – As the hummingbird hovers

Classic

Beck 6.5

I remember when Beck, and Odelay were the toast of the inkies (everyone remember the inkies?) I never did hear the whole album but the tracks I did hear – Devil’s haircut, The New Pollution and Sissyneck are the ones that sound most familiar – did not make me want to hear the whole album. Now that I have heard it, I can confirm that my original reaction stands. It’s frequently enjoyable but the whole thing has such a kitchen sink approach that I can’t say I feel like listening to it again.

Annette

Ezra Furman: 6.5

Billy Nomates: 7.5

Psychedelic Porn Crumpits: 6

The Sherlocks: 7

TOTW: The Test by Billy Nomates

Classic: Beck - 8

Adam

Billy Nomates

Impressed from the start. Solid vocals and enjoyed the synth. Reminded me a little of LadyHawke with the 80s infused pop fun that this album is. 8

Ezra Furman

Weakest album of the week by a long shot. Seemed a little scattered in scope. 5

Psychadelic Porn Crumpets

As the band name would suggest, an eclectic album of music. Expansive grunge rock. Some nice guitar noodling in places. 7

The Sherlocks

Solid modern indie rocking. Good selection of upbeat, energetic and catchy tunes. some similarities to Catfish, Courteeners et al. 7

TOTW - Sherlock’s - death of me

Classic

A classic of the art rock/pop genre. Some good hits like Devils Haircut but in places I felt a little under-cultured listening through. 7

Matt

Ezra Furman: 7.6

Billy Nomates: 7.2

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets: 6.9

The Sherlocks: 7.8

TOTW: The Sherlocks, Everything must make sense.

Mark

Ezra Furman - had a few of his/her albums and saw them at Reading in the tent one year, he used to be more of Velvets meets 50s doo wop kind of crossover, still plenty to like here though, probably my favourite of the week - 7.5

Billy Nomates - she's so distinctive, musically and lyrically, one of my favourite female artists of recent years. I also hear a bit of Stevie Nicks in the vocal which I hadn't realised before - 7.5

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets - more Aussie madness, there really is something in the water over there, lots of it I love but then there's also a fair bit that goes a bit whacko - 7

The Sherlocks - not as crazy about this as others, it's okay but for me doesn't do much beyond what the likes of Courteeners / The Enemy already do better. And Here Comes The Rain is surely a bit of a Cult rip off ?? - 6

TOTW - Nothing Worth Winning by Billy Nomates